Ottawa and Quebec called on to respect the laws in force and demonstrate transparency
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal, February 14, 2018 – Today we are announcing the creation of a community of interest made up of representatives of several environmental groups and scientists: The Round Table for the Defense of the Copper Redhorse. The global distribution area of this emblematic fish of our biodiversity is located exclusively in the greater Montreal region. We have the responsibility as a society to do everything possible to ensure the long-term survival and recovery of the only remaining population of this species whose demographic situation can be described as dramatic since the species is endangered on the planet.
The analysis of the Port of Montreal expansion project at Contrecœur raises significant concerns about the impacts that the completion of this project would have. By uniting their voices under the same banner, the Knights of the Round Table hope to counterbalance the economic siren songs widely played during the announcement of the project. They also want to make the general public aware of all the environmental issues affecting the project. We are particularly concerned about the announced destruction of elements of the critical habitat of the copper redhorse in the St. Lawrence River near Contrecœur.
The Round Table for the Defense of the Copper Redhorse calls on government authorities, namely Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks of Quebec, to demonstrate transparency by making public immediately all internal scientific opinions dealing with the impact of the Port of Montreal expansion project at Contrecœur on the copper redhorse. Public information sessions will be held at the end of February and it is crucial that citizens as well as the project promoter can read this information beforehand.
We invite Fisheries and Oceans Canada to quickly honor the commitment to issue a ministerial order to activate the protection of the critical habitat of the copper redhorse, as prescribed for the protection of endangered species by the federal Species Act. Danger.
As for the population of chorus frogs found in the territory that would be impacted by the project, we ask Environment and Climate Change Canada to immediately adopt a ministerial order to protect the part of its critical habitat located on federal lands. The ministry is currently 20 months behind schedule under the Species at Risk Act. Remember that the decline of the chorus frog continues unabated in southern Quebec and that the Contrecœur population is one of the last in Montérégie.
Finally, we ask the responsible federal departments to clarify, for the benefit of the proponent, the legal framework of the Species at Risk Act applicable to the project. To our great surprise, the impact study presents scenarios incompatible with compliance with this law and it seems unproductive to us to entertain false hopes about the possibility of completing the project as it is currently presented.
Beyond its impact on biodiversity, the project would increase pressure on the surrounding natural terrestrial and aquatic environments and would be a significant source of pollution of all kinds (chemical, atmospheric, sound, light) as well as conflicts of use. Because they have tomorrow at heart, the members of this Table will closely monitor the development of the file to ensure that environmental issues are truly taken into account.
The Knights of the Round Table :
- Daniel Green, co-president, Society to Beat Pollution
- Tommy Montpetit, chorus frog project manager, Ciel et Terre
- Martine Chatelain, spokesperson, Coalition Eau Secours
- Alain Branchaud, Director General, Society for Nature and Parks (SNAP Quebec)
- David Fletcher, Spokesperson, Coalition verte-Green Coalition
- Louis Bernatchez, professor, Department of Biology, Université Laval
- Sophie Paradis, Quebec Director, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Canada)
- Sylvain Perron, analyst, David Suzuki Foundation for Quebec
- Olivier Kolmel, forest campaign manager, Greenpeace Canada
- Alain Saladzius, president, Fondation Rivières
- Christian Simard, general director, Nature Québec
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For informations :
SNAP Quebec
Charlene Daubenfeld
Communications Manager
514-378-3880
cdaubenfeld@snapqc.org
Nature Quebec
Gabriel Marquis
Communications Manager
581-307-8613
gabriel.marquis@naturequebec.org
Fondation Rivières
Alain Saladzius
President
514 924-2013
presidency@fondationrivieres.org
SVP – Society to Overcome Pollution
Daniel Green
Co-president
514-245-4676
please.pollution@gmail.com
Water Relief Coalition
Martine Chatelain
Spokesperson
514-769-5529
chatelain.m@hotmail.com
Photo: Mariya/Unsplash
